South West Victoria & South East South Australia Craters and Limestone MT GAMBIER Precinct: Mount Schank Mt Schank PORT MacDONNELL How to get there? Mount Schank is 10 minutes south of Mount Gambier along the Riddoch Highway. Things to do: • Two steep walking trails offer a great geological experience. The Mount Schank is a highly prominent volcanic cone Viewing Platform Hike (900m return) begins at the car park located 10 minutes south of Mount Gambier, which and goes to the crater rim. From protrudes above the limestone plain, providing the top, overlooking the nearby panoramic views. quarry, evidence can be seen of the lava flow and changes in the Early explorer Lieutenant James Grant named this fascinating remnant rock formation caused by heat volcano after a friend of his called Captain Schank. and steam. On the southern side The mountain differs from the craters in Mount Gambier in that its of the mountain, a small cone can floor is dry, being approximately at the level of the surrounding plain. be seen which is believed to have been formed by the first of two Evidence suggests two phases of volcanic activity. A small cone on the main stages. southern side of the mount was produced by the early phase, together with a basaltic lava flow to the west (the site of current quarrying • The Crater Floor Walk (1.3km operations). The later phase created the main cone, which now slightly return) also begins in the car park, overlaps the original smaller one and is known as a hybrid maar-cone and winds down to the crater floor structure. and back. Strong onshore winds greatly influenced the ash deposition, the • Interpretive signage, car parking, effects of which are evident in the structural shape of the edifice and climbing path steps, observation the distribution of the ash. This dramatic volcanic feature is situated board walks, toilets with disabled 122 metres above sea level, and has an approximate age of 9,000 access, picnic area with tables years. There is extensive quarrying on the lower western slopes and an and barbeques are also available. Access is by bitumen road to the old quarry on the eastern slope. carpark. It is understood that a floating island similar to those found in the Colac Shire in Victoria once existed on the south side of Mount Schank. However due to a drop in the water table over many years, the ‘mass’ is now part of dry land. ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA VICTORIA NARACOORTE HORSHAM BENDIGO KINGSTON SE ROBE COONAWARRA South West Victoria & South East South Australia WINE REGION BEACHPORT MELBOURNE MILLICENT CASTERTON BALLARAT PO Box 860, Hamilton 3300 HAMILTON MOUNT GAMBIER COLERAINE Victoria, Australia HEYWOOD GEELONG PORTLAND COLAC PHONE +61 4 2282 1066 WARRNAMBOOL LORNE FAX +61 3 5597 6753 PT CAMPBELL APOLLO BAY EMAIL [email protected] www.kanawinkageopark.com Australia may be referred to as a relatively young nation, but the well-preserved ancient landscape provides many precious windows into the past. The Kanawinka Global Geopark can take you on an amazing journey through this landscape, enabling visitors to travel back in time over thousands and thousands of years. The surface geology of South Western Victoria Later, during the 1870s and 80s, European and South Eastern South Australia is a striking settlers utilised the volcanic stone cleared contrast of sweeping plains and spectacular from the land to construct dry stone walls mountains which are largely the product in order to grow crops and introduce stock. of volcanic activity. In fact, with six sites of Many examples can be found surrounding international significance and 14 of national Corangamite on the Dry Stone Walls Accredited Visitor significance, this area is Australia’s most Heritage Trail. Information Centres extensive volcanic province. The region’s spectacular and intriguing The history of these geological masterpieces volcanic landscape also offers a range of other Victoria stretches back to the Tertiary and Quaternary visitor experiences, from a 45-minute tour to Casterton Warrnambool eras, when great outpourings of volcanic the surface of Mount Gambier’s Blue Lake, to Shiels Terrace Flagstaff Hill material through vents took place. Lava the gruelling trek up Mount Schank and down 03 5581 2070 Merri Street flows spread evenly across the existing plains, to the crater floor. 1800 637 725 Colac followed valleys, flowed under water, and in In western Victoria, you can go on a chartered Cnr Queen & Murray some cases forced upwards into rough, stony South Australia boat tour to Lady Julia Percy Island, which Streets hills called tumuli, or steeper scoria cones. has the largest colony of Australian fur seals 03 5231 3730 Beachport Millicent Road In total, the flows cover an area of some in the southern hemisphere. Or, take The Dunkeld 08 8735 8029 23,000 square km, extending north to the Alan Marshall Walking Tour of Mount Noorat Parker Street hills beyond Ballarat, and reappearing in a and the nearby township, or swim in the 03 5577 2558 Millicent small section of south-eastern South Australia. turquoise-coloured waters of Lake Surprise. Mt Gambier Road Hamilton This area is known as the Newer Volcanics 08 8733 0904 There are also plenty of picturesque picnic and Lonsdale Street Province, and features nearly 400 individual camping spots just waiting to be discovered. 1800 807 056 Mount Gambier eruption points, most of which occurred Alternatively, you can take your time and The Lady Nelson between 4.5 and 2 million years ago. Nelson spend the night in one of the numerous Jubilee Hwy East Leake Street Many of the eruptions were witnessed by towns in the Kanawinka Global Geopark. 1800 087 187 08 8738 4051 the indigenous peoples of the area who have The Geopark is known as KANAWINKA Penola/Coonawarra inhabited this region for up to 45,000 years, Port Campbell GEOPARK, meaning Land of Tomorrow from 27 Arthur Street and feature prominently in stories of the 26 Morris Street the Buandik people. It is also the name of a 08 8737 2855 Dreamtime. 03 5598 6089 geological fault line from Naracoorte Caves to Aboriginal people also made use of the stones Bass Strait at Portland and a Parish name west Port Fairy from the lava flow to construct channels of Casterton about 1911 so all levels of the Railway Place, linking the wetlands, weirs, fish-traps, wind history, Geological, Indigenous and European Bank Street 03 5568 2682 breaks and stone huts, and excellent examples are brought together in one name. Camperdown created by the Gunditjmara people can be Portland Old Court House The Kanawinka Geopark was declared found around Western Victoria’s Lake Condah Lee Breakwater Rd. 179 Manifold Street the 57th Member of the Global Network region in particular. 1800 035 567 03 5593 3144 of National Geoparks assisted by UNESCO on June 22, 2008. Lake Bolac 2110 Glenelg Hwy 03 5350 2204.